ARCHIVE ARTICLE MID-2009

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For all you Pub Quiz freaks!

(22 mind blowing data bites on Homes, Energy, Risks, Life, Costs and Banks)

DID YOU KNOW? (a mixture of trivia, information and … nuts):

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1. Dry and wet rot can only form in damp wood – at least 20% moisture content.
2. The 1875 Public Health Act introduced, amongst other things, the concept of damp proof courses in new housing.
3. The role of Building Inspectors was introduced in the reign of Charles II, after the 1666 “fire of London” (that occurred just after the 1665 “great plague”).
4. Just after this timeframe, around the split between George I and George II (abt 1720), chimneys were moved, by design, on to party walls.
5. It wasn’t until abt 1800 that gutters and downpipes came into common usage.
6. Stucco, or rendered front elevations, became fashionable during the 1710 (George I) to Queen Victoria (1840) period. Stucco is a typical “Georgian” feature
7. Cast Iron house Balconies were introduced in the early 1760’s.
8. Government has stated that through Building Regulation step changes in 2010 and 2013 they intend to introduce “zero carbon” rated new homes in 2016.
9. Glass is a combination of sand and other minerals that are melted together at very high temperatures.

10.  Glass, chemically, is actually more like a liquid, but at room temperature it is so viscous or ‘sticky’ it looks and feels like a solid.

11.  When oil exists below a certain depth, the heat of the earth breaks the molecules and it becomes Natural Gas.

12.  Most small, domestic wind turbines generate direct current (DC) electricity. Systems that are not connected to the national grid require battery storage and an inverter to convert DC electricity to AC (alternating current – mains electricity).

13.  Roof mounted small Wind Turbines cost from abt £1,500.

14.  Mast mounted larger systems, in the region of 2.5kW to 6kW, would cost between £11,000 – £19,000 installed.

15.  Wind Turbines can have a life of just over 20 years but require service checks every few years to ensure they work efficiently.

16.  Wind Turbine battery storage systems, have a typical battery life of abt 6-10 years, depending on the type, so batteries will have to be replaced at least once, but perhaps twice, in a system lifespan.

17.  Around 5 million people live in flood risk areas in England and Wales.

18.  In 2002, life expectancy at birth for females born in the UK was 81 years, compared with 76 years for males. This contrasts with 49 and 45 years respectively at the turn of the last century in 1901.

19.  1.0% Bank of England interest rate — this rate is the lowest since the bank was founded in 1694.

20.  -30%: this is the current predicted fall in residential house prices since a 2007 high. Further – this 2007 level of values may not now be seen again until 2016.

21.  +67%: this is the required increase in the amount of land needed if government is to meet its current target of 240,000 new homes a year.

22.  In 2007, 47% of all new residential building was for Apartments. With higher density ratios expected nowadays this may shift to be about 25% soon.